Cherries - a sign of Christmas

You know Christmas isn't far away when you start seeing cherries in the supermarket.

Just the sight and smell of them can take you back to the dinner table for a big Christmas feast, with the kids dancing around using cherries as earrings as they dangle them over their ears.

Read on to find out what you could be doing with your cherries this Christmas to make this years festivities, that little bit more special.

The Mornings Program chef and foodie Chris Stephan explains all.

Cherries are in season from October through to the end of February. They are at their best and cheapest during January – February.

Most of our cherries are grown in the NSW regional areas of Young and Orange. Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania are now producing larger quantities for the Australian market.

Cherries seen in our supermarkets during the year are imported from overseas such as America.

Cherries are a good source of vitamin C and high in potassium. They are low in kilojoules and contain dietary fibre and antioxidants.

When purchasing cherries, it is important to look for cherries that have shiny bright skin. Overripe cherries will look dull. Fresh cherries will feel heavy for their size and make sure that the stems are still intact.

Store fresh cherries in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. The best way to do this (if you have room) is to put them in a colander on the lowest shelf in the fridge. This allows air to circulate around them. Alternatively, store in the crisper inside a vegetable storage bag.

Wash intact cherries just prior to eating them. It is best to rinse them by filling a bowl or sink with cold water and submerging them. Drain gently and serve. Avoid running water over them as this can bruise the flesh.

When cooking cherries, it is best to remove the stones. This should ideally been done using a cherry stoner. These are available from any good homeware store for around $20.00. If you don't have one, use a knife to cut a small slit in the side of the fruit. Open the slit slightly and remove the stone.

Pickled Cherries

750 gr large cherries

375 gr sugar

2½ cups white vinegar

10 whole cloves

1 large cinnamon stick

6 whole allspice

Check all fruit and remove any soft or bruised fruit.

Place the sugar, vinegar, cloves, cinnamon and all spice into a saucepan and bring to the boil.Simmer for 10 minutes.

Place the cherries into dry, sterilized jars, packing them in well.Pour the liquid over the cherries.

If using more than one jar, distribute the spices evenly.

Cover jars to seal.

Serve with Christmas meats or as an accompaniment to cheese.

Allow approximately 4 weeks to mature before using.

Pickled Cherries will keep up to 12 months.

adelaide_mornings

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